Donkey, Ass, Burro, Mule, What They All Mean | TBN Ranch Donkey, Ass, Burro, Mule, What They All Mean Learn the Terms, Differences, and Types Quick Reference of Terms Jack + mule = jule, or donkule Stallion + mule = hule Male mule = horse mule, or john mule Female mule = mare mule, or molly A hinny resembles a horse more than an ass. It looks more like a horse with long ears. The mule is a cross between a male donkey [jack] and a female horse [mare]. The hinny is also called a mule, but is crossed between a male horse [stallion] and a female donkey [jenny, or jennet]. The Difference between Mules and Hinnies The feet [hooves] of a hinny are more like a donkey, narrow and more upright, and the mule’s hooves are more horse-like. However, a bit more angle than the donkey hoof but not as round and angled as the horse. Both mules and hinnies should be trimmed more upright and the heels left longer than a horse.

Both mule and hinnies have more endurance than the horse, more resistance to disease, and have much stronger hooves. They require less feed, and are less likely to be startled or spooked. The horse has a flight reflex when startled and the donkey is more likely to freeze and evaluate the situation. Mules and hinnies are often mistaken as stubborn; however their self-preservation is what in fact keeps them safe. Mules and donkeys may also have flight reflexes; it just depends on the specific animal and the situation. From the donkey a mule inherits intelligence, endurance, quite extraordinary strength, and patience. His speed and beauty is from the horse. General Terms Equine: Mammals, members of the family Equus. These are single-toed (hooved) grazing animals. Equines are horses and ponies, donkeys, wild asses, zebras, and the equine hybrids resulting from the crossing of two different species (such as donkey x horse = mule, zebra x donkey -zebrass) Sire : the male parent of an equine. Dam: (pronounced as it looks) the female parent of an equine.

Stud: The breeding male of a species, or, the breeding farm housing a stud (stallion or jack). Get: The offspring of a Jack or Stallion. The male is said to “get” the offspring on the female, thus the collective term get for his young. The class for this is Get of Sire. By means sired by. The young by the same stud are shown together as a group. The term “out of” refers to the female and not the male. Produce: The offspring of a Jennet or Mare. The females produce the young. The term “out of” is literal in the sense that the foal was born out of that female. The Produce of Dam are shown in special classes the same as in the Get of Sire. (Blackjack x My Jenny is read as “By Blackjack out of My Jenny”) Hand: The unit of measurement for the equine. One hand equals four inches. Equines are measures from the ground to the highest points of the withers. A measuring stick with a cross piece and level is the preferred method. Height listed in hands are given as hands+inches.

!3.3 means 13 hands, 3 inches.14.2 would be fourteen hands, 2 inches. 14.3 3/4 is fourteen hand, three-and-three quarters inches. There is no 13.4 or 14.4 – when you reach 4″, you just add another hand. More About Mules The Mule is a cross between a donkey stallion (called a jack) and a horse mare. Hinnies are just the opposite – a stallion horse crossed to a donkey jennet. For all purposes, hinnies and mules are classified and shown together under the general term Mule. A mule or hinny may be a male (horse mule or horse hinny) or a female (mare mule or mare hinny). Sometimes horse mules (the males) are called Johns, and the mares are called Mollies. Both male and female mules have all the correct “parts” but they are sterile and cannot reproduce. A VERY few (about 1 in 1 million) mare mules have had foals, but these are VERY, very rare. No male mule has ever sired a foal.

SO if you cross a mule to a mule – you get nothing! Mules and hinnies must be bred by crossing a donkey and horse every time. (Male mules should also be castrated, since they are sterile. They can become dangerous with too many hormones, so should always be castrated. You can’t show an intact male mule, anyway, and it is useless to keep them a stallion). Mules ears are usually somewhat smaller than a donkeys, longer but the same shape as the horse parents. The mule’s conformation will be a combination of traits from both parents. The head, hip and legs usually take after the jack. Mules do not have pronounced arches to the neck, even from breeds such as Arabians or Warmbloods. A slight arch or straight neck is preferable to a ewe, or upward curved neck. The mule will have “combination hair”, usually a thin forelock, coarse mane hair, and a tail more like the horse parent. Both mules and donkeys are shown with a variety of hairstyles from clipped to shaved (roached).

Mules may wear their tails “belled” as decoration, left long and full, or clipped at the top to emphasize the shape of the hip. Mules try their best to imitate the donkey’s bray, but most have a unique sound that is a combination of the horse’s whinny and the grunting of the wind-down of a bray. Most will start out – Whinee…..and end in “-aw ah aw”. Every mule or hinny will have a unique bray. Mules usually have brown or tan-colored points, where in the donkey the Light Points are a shade of off-white. Some donkeys and mules do not exhibit any light points at all – this is not usual (due to a recessive gene) , but is a good identification marker for registration purposes. Old-timers used to call a dark muzzled mule “blue nosed”. Mules can be any of the colors that either horses or donkeys come in, along with some unique variations of their own.

The only colors mules do NOT come in is true horse pinto (due to the genetic factoring of these colors, there are some mules who are close to, but not quite, tobiano patterned, and none recorded in overo). Mules from Appaloosa mares often have extremely loud patterns, with spots enlarging or “skewing” in variants of the horse appaloosa. Breeders wishing for a mule with four white feet should try a tobiano mare. The mule will probably have four socks and/or stockings, with the most usual combination being four white feet and a splash of white on the tail. The genes of the mule seem programmed for the unusual, and very strange, loud spotted pinto and appaloosa variants are common. In fact, the best way to produce a spotted mule is to cross a spotted jack to a solid colored mare. The resulting mule may have pinto-like patches in a variation of the donkey-spot pattern. Appaloosa mares crossed to spotted jacks have often produced mule foals that appear to be roan-patched pinto, with dark leopard appaloosa spots over the dark areas. Mules come in every size and shape imaginable.

Miniature mules (even to under 36″) can be seen all the way up to 17 hand Percheron draft (by Mammoth Jacks) Mules. The Poitou donkey was used exclusively for breeding huge draft mules from a breed of draft horse called the Mullasier – the Mule producer. The build of the mule is a combination of both parents. The head resembles both, the eyes being more almond-shaped (inherited from the D-shaped eye socket of the donkey). Male mules may have more prominent brow ridges like those of most donkey jacks. The neck is straight and has little arch, even in mules from Arab or Warmblood mares. The overall body shape will be dependent on the conformation of both parents. Due to hybrid vigor, the mule has the possibility of growing taller than either parent. The rarer Hinnies are often said to be more horselike than the mule, but more often it is impossible to tell them apart. Hinnies may tend to be slightly smaller, simply because of the fact that most donkeys are smaller than horses.

Mules can be used in exactly the same sports as horses – under saddle, in harness, for cutting, roping or dressage. In actuality, they have more stamina and can carry more weight than a horse of equal size. This is due to the hybrid vigor. There is one particular aspect where the mule actually outshines the horse, and that is high-jumping. Mules have a particular sport all their own called the Coon Hunter’s Jump. It stems from the raccoon hunter moving his saddle and pack mules through the woods. Wooden or stone fences could be taken down, but wire ones could not. The hunter would flag the fence with his coat or a blanket, and jump his string of pack mules over one by one. In the showring, mules jump a single rail standard to increasing heights. The last clean jump is the winner. Mules only 50 inches tall at the withers have been known to clear jumps of up to 72 inches. These jumps are not from a galloping approach, like Puissance, but from a standing start inside a marked area. Truly a remarkable feat. Mules are not really stubborn.

They can seem lazy because they will not put themselves in danger. A horse can be worked until it drops, but not so with a mule. The “stubborn” streak is just the mule’s way of telling humans that things are not right. Mules are very intelligent and it is not a good idea to abuse a mule. They will do their best for their owner, with the utmost patience. Modern American Asses = All Types Classified by Height All of the types listed are registered by ADMS. (There are few true BREEDS of donkeys, especially in the US. Donkeys in the US are classified by type or height, while foreign breeds may exist – A breed must be of the same type and usually has a studbook backing it. ) Miniature Mediterranean Donkey: Originally imported from the Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia, and other Mediterranean areas, these donkeys must be under 36″at the withers at maturity (after age 3) to be registered with ADMS as a Miniature. (At the current time, donkeys up to 38″; may be listed as O for Oversize ONLY if they have a traceable pedigree of Registered Miniature parents.

Both Parents must be registered Miniatures). These animals are registered by all legitimate American Donkey or Canadian registries, including the American Council of Spotted Asses. The are often referred to as Sicilian Donkeys, but this is not correct usage, nor is Sicilian the name of the typical coloration of these donkeys. The ADMS now registers these animals in the Miniature Donkey Registry, although ADMS also has some older animals listed in the American Donkey Registry as well. Standard Donkey: This covers the size range of most donkeys in the world. The size range is from 36.01″ to 48″; at the withers. This size donkey is often called a “burro”. (Most but not all of the background is Spanish stock) Small Standard Donkey: A subdivision of the Standard grouping. Small standard stand above 36″ and up through 40″, often with a miniature background. This includes donkeys up to 38″ if they have no registered miniature parents or traceable miniature pedigree. Large Standard Donkey: Donkeys from 48.01″ up to 54″ for females and up to 56″ for males.

These are good riding donkeys or can be used in breeding saddle mules. Many may have Mammoth breeding in their background. Mammoth – Mammoth Jackstock, Mammoth Ass – This is one of the largest breeds of donkey in the world. Once referred to as American Standard Jack Stock. Males must stand 56″ and up, females must be 54″ and up. These animals have their own registry, the American Mammoth Jackstock Registry (formerly Standard Jack and Jennet Registry) and are also registered in the ADMS American Donkey Registry. American Spotted Ass. While all asses can come in the spotted pattern (“pinto”), the term American Spotted Ass is a trademark for those donkeys (asses) registered with the American Council of Spotted Asses (ACOSA), which is trying to establish foundation stock for spotted asses. For those interested in genetics: At this time, it is not known if the spotting gene can be homozygous (SS) as in the horse tobiano, as spotted jacks and jennets are still seen to throw non-spotted (solid) foals, meaning they are still heterozygous (Ss) for spots.

Donkey Terms Ass: The correct term for the animal commonly known as the donkey, burro, or jackstock. The term comes from the original Latin term for the animal which was Asinus. The scientific term for these animals is Equus asinus. The term fell into disrepute through confusion with the indelicate term “Arse” meaning the human backside. You are never at fault when you refer to one of these animals as an ass, and the term is not improper unless you misuse it so yourself. The difference between asses and horses is a species difference. You might compare it to the differences between zebras and horses, different species but closely related and able to interbreed to a degree. Jack: The term used for the male of the ass species. Thus, the often used term Jackass – which is correct if redundant. Jacks are called stallions in the UK, but stallion is reserved for horses and zebra males in the US. Jennet: Pronounced JEN-et, the correct term for the female of the species. The more commonly used term is Jenny, which is considered correct in non-technical use. The term mare is used for horse and zebra females in the US.

(But a jennet is a mare in the UK) Burro: A word taken directly from Spain. It means the common, everyday working donkey found in Spain and Mexico. It came into usage in the Western United States. As a general rule, the term burro is heard West of the Mississippi and the term Donkey, east of the Mississippi. Burro is not appropriate for use in referring to Miniature Donkeys or Jackstock. Wild Burro: These are the feral (descended from domestic stock that has gone wild over generations) asses which run wild in the Western part of the United States. The American Donkey and Mule Society and Bureau of Land Management (who are in charge of the Wild Burro population) prefer to keep the term Burro for these animals. When registering they are listed as “Standard Donkey” and the origin and breeding is given as Wild Burro. Donkey: Taken from England, the derivation is uncertain, but most authorities think that the name comes from dun (the usual color) and the suffix “ky” meaning small. Thus “a little dun animal”. In earlier England the word Ass was taken from the Roman word for the animal.

“Donkey” is a relatively recent variation of the species name. Jack Stock: (Jackstock) The term for plural of the American Mammoth Jack and Jennet. These animals are properly termed Asses and not donkeys, and never called burros. They are one of the largest of the types of the ass species. Gelding Donkey: The proper term for a gelded (castrated, or “altered” male ass. An informal term is John (a modified form of Jack). Spanish Jack or Spanish Donkey: ADMS does not accept this terminology unless the animal has written documented proof of importation of itself or its immediate ancestors from Spain. This holds for animals which people call by the breed names of foreign breeds such as Catalonian, Maltese, or Andalusian. These breeds as pure strains are rare even in Spain, and are non-existent in the US. The term Spanish Donkey is found in common usage meaning a large standard donkey The ancestry of most of the donkeys in the United States is predominantly a blend of all of the Spanish breeds. In any case, the term is inexact and is not good usage.

Mule Jack: Not a mule, but a jackass used to breed mares to obtain mules. Jennet Jack: a jackass used to breed to jennets (the female of the species) in order to produce more donkeys. A good breeder uses only the finest of jacks for this purpose. British Terms: You may read English books on donkeys. For some reason, the terms jack and jennet have been abandoned and turned to stallion and mare instead. Also, a hinny is commonly called a jennet in England. The Cross: Refers to a line of darker hairs starting at the top of the head and running to the end of the tail. (Dorsal stripe) This is crossed at the withers with another darker line of hair (the shoulder stripe) forming a cross. The shoulder stripe may be long, very short, thin, wide, fading or dashed, but nearly all donkeys have some form of this marking. The exceptions are the Mammoth asses which have been bred away from this marking, and true black animals where the cross is not visible. Even spotted animals or white-appearing donkeys may have partial or faint crosses. This trait is very dominant.

The presence of this marking on donkeys has led to many lovely legends in the Christian religion. The term Jerusalem donkey is often incorrectly applied to donkeys with the normal cross marking. It is a nickname, and not a true breed or type. Markings: In addition to the cross, many donkeys have dark markings on the ears, as “garters” (zebra marks) around the legs, or as “zippers” down the inside of the forelegs. Small black spots on the sides of the throat, called collar buttons, may also be seen, as well as a dark line (ventral stripe) down the belly. White Points: When registering donkeys, white points are so universally normal that only the absence of them is to be noted. It is normal for a donkey to have short, fine, light colored hair on the muzzle (although the lips themselves will have darker hair), ringing the eyes, on the belly and inside of the legs. A donkey that does not have these points is seen as unusual but are not too uncommon. The gene for No Light Points (*NLP) appears to be recessive.

A few donkeys will have only a small patch of lighter (tan, not the usual soft white) hair only a the side of the muzzle, with dark around the eyes and a tan belly. This is noted in registration papers as an Intermediate Black Muzzle: Just having dark lips, with the fine muzzle hair being light, is not a black muzzle. Common Sizes of Mules or Donkeys Miniature = 36″ or less at the withers Small Standard = 36.01″ up to 40″ Standard = 40.01″ up to 48″ Large Standard = jennets are 48.01″ up to 54″, jacks are 48.01″ up to 56″ Mammoth = jennets are 54.01″ and over, jacks are 56.01″ and over Why is a Male donkey Called Jack and a Female Donkey Called Jenny and How Did the Names Originate? Super Beefy Interesting Random Facts Why is a Male donkey Called Jack and a Female Donkey Called Jenny and How Did the Names Originate?

2010.04.30 2014.07.18 | Filed Under: Animals Jack is the diminutive or short form of the common name John, although it is also often used as a proper name. The name Jack was so common at one point that it was used for addressing any male. It was eventually used to designate any male person, male animals, and even a variety of inanimate objects, such as a jack for lifting heavy loads. Hence the names lumberjack, jackass, jackrabbit, bootjack, jack-of-all-trades, and even Jack the Ripper. A little more confusing is how the female donkey became known as the jenny ass. Nowadays Jenny is short for Jennifer, but there were few Jennifers hundreds of years ago when “Jenny ass” became Jack’s counterpart. It turns out that, back then, the name Jenny was also short for Guinevere, an extremely common English name for girls hundreds of years ago. Read More Also, any literature on baseball written in the 1800's does not credit Abner Doubleday with the invention either. But if my...

2016-12-28T23:28:08+00:00 I'm not saying that whoever wrote this did not research this at all but I am saying this explanation of the origins of baseball... 2016-12-28T23:19:30+00:00 IT TOOK ME OVER WINTER BREAK 12 DAYS 3 HOURS 5 MINUTES AND 36 SECONDS. 2016-12-28T02:49:36+00:00 The math here is false. The fundation of how this was worked out is how long it takes to count to 100 in seconds; which is fine... 2016-11-08T22:41:08+00:00 The Mule Page The Mule Page An Assologist's Perspective What is a Mule? A mule is the sterile hybrid of any two equines of dissimilar species. The most common hybrid is of the male ass, known as a Jack, and the female horse, or mare.

However the opposite cross is not all that uncommon, and mule people tend to call this offspring of a male (stud) horse and a female ass (Jenny or Jennet), a hinny. Some will tell you that the hinny is more horse-like in appearance than the opposite cross. In truth this is seldom so, and even experts will have a difficult time telling one cross from the other. In addition to these common hybrids, we have been seeing more and more Zebra crosses recently. This hybrid of an ass or horse with a zebra has several names, none of which are universally accepted or used. If the cross is with an ass, some folks might call it a zebroid, or even a zdonk. If the combination is of a horse and zebra, some would call it a zorse. No matter the cross, the hybrid offspring is still technically a mule. Mules are sterile and cannot reproduce. This does not affect the normal sex drive, though, and mules will breed, if not conceive. There have been stories through the years of mare mules giving birth, but to my knowledge, none have been substantiated.

Male mules should always be castrated to prevent the dangerous behavioral problems inherent in studs. This castration is called gelding, and a castrated mule is known as a gelded mule, or simply a horse mule. In Europe you might hear him called a John mule. The female mule is known as a mare mule or a molly mule. Most horse people prefer geldings, while most mule people prefer mare mules. The mares tend to be easier to train. Mules will often grow to a size larger than either parent, and they live longer than the horse. They tend to have more endurance and strength than a horse of the same size, and they tend to be easier keepers. As a general rule, a mule will stay fat on pasture where a horse might not do so well. No need for fancy supplements either. Many mule owners won't even shoe the animal, as a mule's feet are so much tougher than those of a horse. They are disease resistant and are more tolerant of heat and cold. Founder and colic are rare in mules, thanks to built-in mechanisms inherited from the ass. All in all, it costs less money to keep a mule.

Mules tend to develop trusting relationships with the rider or trainer. If treated well a mule will be your best friend, but mistreat him just once and he will neither forgive nor forget. Many a good mule has been ruined by one single fit of temper. Mules are generally more intelligent than horses. Mules and asses both share a very well developed sense of self preservation. Seldom will a mule allow you to put him in a dangerous situation, nor will he allow himself to be overworked. If the mule trusts you he may accept new and strange situations with little question, but when he balks the wise muleskinner investigates before pressing the issue. A recalcitrant mule could be warning you of danger. Caution in a mule is often mistaken for stubbornness and the uninitiated usually wind up regretting any attempt at forcing the animal to submit. The Mules Heritage The first mules on the North American Continent are thought to have been bred by none other than George Washington. The Father of our Country crossed a huge Andalusian jackass named "Royal Gift", named so because the animal came as a gift from the King of Spain, with his brood stock of large work mares.

The results became quickly famous and mules became the most popular working stock on American farms. General Washington had 58 mules working his Mt. Vernon farm at one time. The Mules Parentage The male ass is referred to as a jackass, or just "jack". The female is the jenny or jennet. Just as in horses, there are many sub-breeds and, also like horses, asses are categorized by size. There are miniature, standard, large standard, and mammoth asses. Other names for the ass include donkey and burro. Due to the connotation of the name ass, most folks here in the Colonies these days most often refer to the breed as donkey, and the jackass simply as a jack. Burro is a designation less used, but still not at all uncommon. It is a name Spanish in origin and more commonly refers, at least in the US, to the smaller sized asses common to Mexico. The Mules Legacy By the mid 1960's or so the specie had become all but extinct.

Since then, thanks to the dedication of some very special people, the mule's popularity has steadily grown, and today they are common sights at fairs, shows, rodeos, and trailrides. The mule is greatly favored for it's endurance, easy gait, intelligence, and willing nature. Folks who laughed at mule riders a few years ago can be seen astraddle longears these days. They are still laughing - but for an altogether different reason. A well-bred, properly trained mule is a joy. The common sentiment is that once you ride a good mule, you will never want to ride another horse. There are now thousands of mules, and, as a result of this proliferation, the quality of mules has gotten much better. Many years ago when I first decided to try a mule I found that it was next to impossible to buy a good one. There were good mules out there but the owners weren't turning loose of them. The mules I found on the market all had "holes" in them and were being sold for that reason. The very few good animals I did find for sale were priced beyond reason.

I didn't understand the reason for all this at the time, but I quickly learned. Instead of giving up on the idea, I bought a good jack and started raising my own mules. After a few years I started culling off the less desirable of the colts, keeping only the best prospects, and began working with them. I learned a lot in those years. I learned just how smart a mule really is, and just how cautious. I learned how easy it was to make a mistake in training and ruin a mule. With help from folks like Red Roper and Ray Hunt, I also learned better ways of training these incredible animals. In the process, I learned why it was so hard to buy a good mule in those days, and why they cost so much when you did find one. Times have changed, and there are many, many good mules available on the market for the would-be mule owner. They are still expensive, but the good ones are worth it. Several good breeders and trainers are represented in the links page. If you want a good mule, one of these folks will be able to help you. Mule breed associations and registries are abundant these days.

The oldest, in this country at least, is the American Donkey and Mule Society . ADMS was founded in 1967 by Paul and Betsy Hutchins and is headquartered in Lewisville, Texas. The ADMS publishes a quarterly 128 page magazine called The Brayer . An excellent essay titled Why a Mule? can be found on the ADMS web site. Another, entitled The Wonderful World of Longears , has been published by Eugenie M. McGuire and is quite good reading. Some mule publications are Mules & More , Western Mule , and The Saddle Mule News . Links to these and others can be found on the Mulelinks page. REMEMBER! Anything a horse can do, a mule can do better! If you arrived here by a means other than THE RED ASS PAGE, you might want to... WHAT IS A BURRO? Naturalist Newsletter of April 7, 2007 issued from Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve, QUERÉTARO, MÉXICO WHAT IS A BURRO? I saw so many burros during my hike to Bucareli that that question frequently came to mind.

Specifically, what's the difference between a burro, a horse, a donkey, an ass and a mule? Earlier this week I'd seen a burro and her colt lounging beside the reservoir and I'd taken their picture. The picture is below: Unlike in the dog world, where all dog races belong to the same species (as proved by the fact that they can interbreed), horses and burros, though members of the same genus, are regarded as being completely different species. Horse: EQUUS CABALLUS Burro: EQUUS ASINUS "Asinus" in the burro's scientific name, suggesting a certain assiness to the burro, hints at a further truth. That is, burros, asses and even donkeys are pretty much the same thing. They are all Equus asinus. "Burro" is just the Spanish word for "donkey." I say "pretty much the same thing" because some people make a distinction between the descendents of donkeys introduced into the Americas by the Spanish in the 1500s, which they call burros, and donkeys introduced directly from Europe, which they call donkeys.

Even people making a distinction between burros and donkeys appear to agree that both, being of the species "asinus," are asses. Jackasses are just "jack asses," or "male asses." This brings us to mules. A male donkey or burro, called a jack, is crossed with a female horse to produce a mule. A male horse can be crossed with a female donkey (called a jennet or a jenny) to produce something that in North America is called a hinny, but in the United Kingdom is called a mare, or jenny, with the word jennet more commonly applied to the offspring of a female donkey and a male horse, regardless of whether the foal is female or male. The diploid chromosome number of the horse is 64, while that of the burro is 62. This mismatch between chromosomes causes nearly all mules to be sterile. Well, all this is gone into in much more detail at the American Donkey and Mule Society website at . One last thing to say is that burros/donkeys/asses are originally African species evolved to thrive on arid, scrubby land, which is pretty much what they have here.

FROM THE APRIL 21, 2007 NEWSLETTER: BURRO RETICULATIONS At Cocos I saw many mountain slopes looking like the one below: Notice the pale, reticulating network of footpaths ornamenting the slope. Those trails mostly were made by free-roaming burros and cattle. During my recent hike between Cuatro Palos and Bucareli, through a mountain landscape about as rugged and isolated as you can find, I was never out of sight of such footpath reticulations. No cattle were out there, just burros. I suppose that a formula someplace can explain why free-roaming burros eventually impose upon a landscape intricate, geometrical footpath-patterns. A hiker on such a slope mainly thinks two things about such trails: On every square inch of the landscape they provide access to burros who nibble on everything that isn't spiny or bitter, and; two, too often the hiker ends up on a burro trail instead of the main trail.

The Sierra Club's position paper on "feral burros," at states: Feral horses and burros should be eliminated from key wildlife habitat, including the desert bighorn habitat of the American Southwest, and from designated natural areas. In other situations, their numbers should be carefully regulated to minimize conflict with wildlife, livestock and other range values. Like most normal people, I think burros are nice animals, smart, and fun to be around. But the above picture hints at the fact that's painfully obvious over enormous areas here: That humans have created a colossal ecological disaster by introducing burros into ecosystems where they don't belong, and killing off the predators that otherwise would control burro numbers. I agree with the Sierra Club's position, not because it's an agreeable solution but because, like so often is the case (as with the war in Iraq), irresponsible human behavior has put people who come later into the position of being forced to choose the least bad among several very bad options. Donkeys are Different: An Overview of Reproductive Variations from Horses by Debra J. Hagstrom, M.S.

Equine Extension Specialist, University of Illinois In the world today it is believed there are approximately 44 million mules and donkeys. These two groups of equids are currently receiving a lot of attention as recreational animals in the United States. They very well may be the fastest growing part of the recreational equine industry. Mules in particular can be found doing everything from trail riding and packing, to dressage, racing, jumping and western pleasure. Donkeys, in many instances, are family pets and of course are a necessary ingredient in the production of mules. Though commonly called a donkey in North America, ass is the correct name for members of Equus asinus. The name donkey comes from the old English word dunkey meaning an animal that is grayish-brown in color. A male donkey is referred to as a jack and a female donkey is called a jenny or jennet. Donkeys fall into three basic size ranges. Mammoth donkeys are those that at maturity stand more than 56 inches at the withers. Those donkeys that are less than 36 inches at the withers at maturity are referred to as miniatures. Standard donkeys fit in between the mammoths and minis.

Some people divide this size group into small standards (36”-40”), standards (40”-48”), and large standards (48”-56”). The domestic horse has 64 chromosomes while the domestic donkey has 62. The resulting hybrid offspring of the mating of a horse to a donkey is an animal with 63 chromosomes. When a female horse (mare) is mated to a male donkey (jack), a mule is the result. The reverse cross, a female ass (jennet) mated to a male horse (stallion) is called a hinny. Each of these hybrids come in both sexes but is considered to be sterile due to the incompatibility of the maternal and paternal chromosomes. Despite being infertile, the female mule (molly) and female hinny do cycle, although it is typically extremely variable and erratic. Similarly, though the male mule (john) and male hinny do not produce spermatozoa they do produce testosterone and thus will display stallion-like behavior. There are of course similarities between donkeys and horses, being that they both belong to the same genus Equus.

Nevertheless, there are some significant differences, particularly when discussing reproduction. The important differences in the male will be discussed first. Jacks typically have larger testicles and a larger penis than stallions. Though this seems like nothing more than an interesting tidbit, it is important to remember when castrating donkeys and mules. There are many references suggesting that donkeys and mules have a greater tendency to bleed after castration. It is believed that the larger testicles result in larger blood vessels supplying the testicles and thus a greater amount of tissue to remove during castration and a subsequent greater chance of blood lose. As a result, it is not recommended that a standing castration be performed on these animals. Additionally, some veterinarians prefer to use an emasculation tool that has a crushing action above and separate from the cutting surface to minimize the chance of bleeding. Furthermore, many donkeys have a thicker scrotum and consequently larger blood vessels in the scrotal tissue. So, for those veterinarians that cut off the bottom of the scrotum as part of the castration procedure, the risk of scrotal bleeding is increased as compared to horses.

Many donkey breeders are frustratingly aware of one peculiarity of jacks, which is the added time needed for them to achieve erection and ejaculation compared to horses. Experienced jacks usually need five to thirty minutes to complete the breeding act, while most stallions complete the act in ten minutes or less. It can take an extremely long time for a jack to cover a female, even when dealing with older jacks and breeding them to jennets. Some jacks may take hours to cover a female or never complete the breeding act at all. Breeding a mare is not a natural, instinctual act for most jacks. Given their low libido, young inexperienced jacks and jacks that have not been raised with mares can be very challenging to use as breeding animals. Of course there are always exceptions, but generally a jack that has not been raised around horses will not be interested in breeding mares. Though no specific research has been done to investigate this problem, there is much anecdotal evidence. It is commonly known among donkey and mules breeders, that if a jack is raised with donkeys, mules and horses he will not naturally want to breed mares.

However, if a jack is brought up in a “horse” environment by being separated from donkeys and mules at weaning and raised with horses he will have a much stronger affinity for mares. It has also been observed that in situations where more than one jack is on a farm, once one breeds a mare, the other jack(s) will often follow suit in a rather short period of time. Because a jack’s interest in mares has to be cultivated so carefully, it is very rare to find a jack that will readily cover both mares and jennets. Therefore, it is recommended that separate jacks be used to breed mares and jennets. If you are interested in breeding a jack to both species you should consider artificial insemination. As with stallions, jacks can be trained rather quickly to collect with the use of an artificial vagina. Donkey semen can be handled similar to that of the stallion, using the same extender and storage techniques. Donkey semen can also be frozen for use at a later date. There are both anatomical and cyclical differences seen in jennets compared to mares.

For the horse, the average length of gestation is 335-345 days while in donkeys it is 360-375 days or more. Normal donkey foals have reportedly been born at 10 ½ months up to 14 months of gestation. The estrous cycle of jennets ranges from 23-30 days, whereas the mare has a slightly shorter cycle of 21-25 days. Additionally, jennets usually have a heat period that averages six to nine days. This can be substantially longer than what is seen in mares, as their heat may be as short as three days or last up to eight days. Ovulation in jennets occurs five to six days after the onset of estrus, whereas mares ovulate 12-24 hours before the end of estrus. Additionally, foal heat begins five to 13 days postpartum while mares don’t typically begin foal heat until at least seven days after foaling. As a whole, jennets have stronger maternal instincts that mares and are exceedingly protective of they foals especially within the first few weeks of birth.

Consequently, they are likely to be too upset by the presence of a jack to stand for breeding during foal heat in a live-cover breeding program. On the second or third heat after foaling, however, they are typically more relaxed, showing less concern for their foal and more interest in the jack. Donkeys tend to be more fertile than horses, having an average conception rate of 78% while mares average 65%. Furthermore, multiple ovulations are much more common in donkeys than horses. As a result, twinning occurs more frequently, especially in mammoth and standard donkeys. Researchers have found the incidents of twins to be as high as 40% as diagnosed via ultrasound at day 21 of pregnancy in small herds of jennets. Management of twin pregnancies in donkeys is similar to that of mares in that reduction to one embryo is attempted. If a veterinarian’s attempt to manually crush one embryo is unsuccessful often the entire pregnancy will then be aborted. Just as mares have complications with carrying twin pregnancies to term, donkeys also experience like problems with twins. Jennets have a longer cervix than mares, however, it is smaller in diameter.

This, along with the fact that the donkey cervix protrudes into the vagina farther than in horses, may make artificial insemination more difficult than in mares. Jennets also have a high incidence of cervical adhesions, which is believed to be part of the reason donkeys have a more difficult time giving birth than mares. Foaling managers should remember that dystocia is more probable with jennets and they should be prepared to assist in a difficult birth to help ensure the delivery of a live foal. Jennets are less likely to need a Caslicks procedure to prevent wind sucking and contamination of their vagina with feces. Anatomically, a jennet’s pelvis is more sloped downward from front to back. This leads to the vulva being tipped at a more desirable angle so that the bottom of the vulva is more cranial in orientation than the top of the vulva. This slope also makes them less likely to have trouble with pooling urine in their vagina. However, it seems to make rectal palpation more challenging than in mares. Additionally, donkeys tend to have stronger rectal contractions. These factors seem to make it more difficult to detect early pregnancies by palpation.

Heat detection is normally not difficult with jennets as they usually make it very obvious when they are ready to be bred. It is common for just the sound of a jack braying in the distance to prompt them to display signs of estrus. Jennets share some of the typical signs of estrus with mares including frequent urination and assuming the breeding stance with their hind legs spread apart. They will also lay their ears back and display the characteristic submissive chewing motion with their mouth. Jennets are also more vocal than mares during their heat period. They will even exhibit these signs of estrus in the presences of other jennets, especially if another female is in heat as well. Additionally, jennets often ride each other during estrus like cows, which is rarely seen among mares. Although this article’s focus has been the reproductive habits of donkeys, there is an important side note that must be mentioned for people interested in producing mules. It is very common for mares to find it incredibly upsetting to be approached by a braying jack. Breeders often tell stories about mares not wanting to stand for mounting by a jack even though they are showing extremely strong heat.

It is not natural for a mare to allow a jack to breed her. In her attempts to successfully dissuade a jack from mounting, a mare could seriously injure the jack. Therefore, it is advised that restraints be used on the mare to protect the jack, the handler(s) and the mare. Restraints may include twitches, breeding hobbles, a breeding chute, chemical restraints or any combination thereof to facilitate the natural cover of a mare by a jack in a safe manner. Breeding donkeys, either to perpetuate the species or to create mules can be an interesting and exciting endeavor. In some areas of the country it has even proven to be quite lucrative. However, to be safe and successful it is important to become educated about the reproductive idiosyncrasies of donkeys, in addition to the challenges of breeding donkeys to horses. Click on the PDF file below for a printer friendly version of this article. Animal Facts - Donkeys Donkeys The donkey is a herbivorous animal and the smallest member of the horse family. Ass is the correct term for the animal known as the donkey, burro, or jackstock. The young of a donkey is called a foal.

A young male is a colt and a young female a filly. The correct name for a female donkey is jenny and the correct name for a male donkey is jack. A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse. A hinny is the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey. There are three categories of donkeys. Miniatures are 36 inches and under. Standards are between 36 and 54 inches. Mammoths are over 54 inches. All measured to the shoulder. Donkeys originated in the African Desert and are a descendant of the African Wild Ass. The African Wild Ass is one of the most endangered animals in the world. Wild donkeys, called burros, live in desert plains, where they can survive on little food and water for long periods. The weight of donkeys ranges up to 570 pounds. They have gray to reddish brown hair, long ears and small feet, with sharp hooves. Donkeys are very affectionate animals and enjoy the companionship of people. Donkeys need companions or they will become very depressed. Donkeys can live for 25 to 35 years of age.

However, donkeys in third world countries seldom live over 10 years. Jennies are pregnant for one full year and usually give birth one foal. Twins are very rare. Donkeys are used as guard animals for goats and sheep against the threat of coyote attack. They are also used to protect cows while calving. The coyote is the only natural threat to donkeys. Donkeys therefore do not like any canines. Donkeys can easily carry 30% of their body weight in live load and 20% in dead weight. The donkey's favorite pastime is rolling. Miniature donkeys (36 inches and under) are native to the Mediterranean Islands of Sicily and Sardinia. They have been extensively bred in the United States and are almost extinct in the land of their origin. The breed is called the Miniature Mediterranean Donkey. The rare French Poitou donkey is characterized by a huge head and ears and very thick, shaggy curled black coat. The Poitou can stand 56 to 60 inches high./p> George Washington owned the first donkeys born in the United States.

Spanish explorers during the 1600 brought many standard donkeys to the Americas as pack animals. Copyright © 2008-2015 by Wanda Embar. All Rights Reserved. Legal / Contact Me . All pictures: ©2004

Question: If a male ass is a jack, what is a female called?
Answer: Jenny